Former Jets C Kevin Mawae finally elected into Pro Football Hall of Fame

Kevin Mawae stands as likely the best offensive lineman in the history of the Jets. Now he's set to be a Hall of Famer.(Photo11: Record File)

The wait is finally over for one of the Jets’ best players ever.

Center Kevin Mawae was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. This was Mawae’s fifth time on the ballot and his third time as a finalist.

Mawae becomes only the fourth player in franchise history to play at least five seasons with the Jets and be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, joining quarterback Joe Namath (elected in 1985), wide receiver Don Maynard (1987) and his teammate Curtis Martin (2012). Coach Weeb Ewbank was also elected to the Hall of Fame (1978) primarily for his achievements with the Jets.

Mawae’s credentials are certainly hall of fame worthy.

He played 16 seasons with the Seahawks, Jets and Titans from 1994 to 2009, earning eight Pro Bowl selections and three first-team All-Pro selections. His best years were with the Jets (1998-2005), where he started all 118 games, earned two first-team All-Pro selections and blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher in seven of his eight seasons — it was Martin in all seven years. For his career, Mawae blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher in 13 of 16 years.

He was the center on the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 2000s —every other center on the All-Decade team dating back to the 1950s has been inducted into the Hall of Fame.

He joins an impressive class of players who were elected to be in the class of 2019: safety Ed Reed, tight end Tony Gonzalez and cornerback Champ Bailey all made it into the Hall in their first time on the ballot. Cornerback Ty Law, who played for the Jets for one season in 2008, was also elected.